Car Review: 2009 Audi A6

New, 3-litre V6

By David Booth, Canwest News Service

Originally published: February 6, 2009

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Like some of the poor souls featured on Extreme Makeover or The Biggest Loser, the A6 was in desperate need of a fresh image. It may only be four years since Audi’s mid-sized sedan was last completely revised, but much has changed in that seemingly short time. BMW’s 5 Series has been refreshened in the interim, ditto the stylish Mercedes CLS, and Jaguar’s XF is so radically modern it made the old A6 look like an antique.

Besides, Audi is in the middle of one of the most impressive brand and model makeovers in recent history. The A4 is all new, there’s a new A5 coupe, a revitalized A3 and a phantasmagorical R8, not to mention a brace of new SUVs. Only the company’s A8 (which sells in piddling numbers) and the A6 (which is, or should be, far more important to corporate coffers) remained unchanged. So, for 2009, the A6 gets a mid-cycle refreshening and, though it may not be obvious from the outside where the changes are relatively modest, there is much that is substantially new under that familiar skin.

Most notably, the engine compartment has a new player — the 3.0-litre TFSI V6 — and although Audi’s public relations machine might go into full Richard Nixon denial mode, the power-plant is an obvious answer to BMW’s twin-turbo 3.0L six. Both, for instance, feature forced induction. In BMW’s case, it’s the first ever twin-turbocharged production engine and, in Audi’s case, it’s the first use of supercharging on one of its V6s. Even their specifications are remarkably similar, the BMW boasting 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque, while the Audi counters with the same ponies and ups the ante with 10 extra lb-ft.

Were it not for their six pistons arranged in different fashion — in-line for BMW, a classic 60-degree vee for Audi — they might feel almost identical. But, BMW’s in-line six with its perfect primary and secondary balance factors is the smoother of the two engines. It’s not by much, mind you, and most couldn’t tell unless they drove them back to back, but the Audi V6 gets a little growly when it revs, while the Bimmer remains the model of sophistication.

On the other hand, the Audi TFSI may have a little more bottom-end grunt. Superchargers traditionally offer just a titch more immediacy at lower revs and, though drag racing is not the Audi’s forte, the supercharged V6 does an admirable job of emulating a larger-displacement V8. Audi, for instance, still offers a 4.2L V8 in the A6. Though it has more horsepower, most of its oomph is well up the rev band. The smaller supercharged six feels thoroughly “gruntier” with its maximum torque available at much lower revs. In fact, the 4.2L A6 is only a tenth of a second faster to 100 kilometres an hour than the 3.0T. Its major advantage isn’t power but smoother running.

For now, the new TFSI engine will only be available with Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system. Newly revised with a 60/40 rear-to-front default torque split, the quattro system offers sportier rear-drive bias than the previous version, which evenly split engine output between the front and rear axles.

Winter is never the time to test any car’s roadholding ability, but I can state that the rear-biased torque split is noticeable. Of course, the quattro’s torque split isn’t fixed. According to Audi, it can send as much as 85% of the torque to the rear wheels or 65% to the front, depending on which wheels are losing traction. From the driver’s seat, that means extraordinary security, especially with the tester equipped with snow tires.

The one downside to the quattro system, at least in the A6, is that the engine is situated far forward in the chassis, virtually replicating the weight distribution of a front-wheel-drive vehicle. It’s not something noticeable during the course of normal driving, but, when pushed to the limit on a twisty road, the A6 will understeer despite newly made albeit minor revisions to the suspension.

On the other hand, the A6 is a doddle to drive around town. I had just previously tested BMW’s revised 750Li, and the most immediate impression on switching to the Audi was how much lighter it felt. That’s partly because the 7 Series is a hefty beast, but there’s also a marked difference in tuning as well. BMW’s legendary steering offers exemplary feedback, but even with active steering it can be weighty. Conversely, the A6 offers the light steering of a Japanese sedan with most, if not quite all, the feel of a German touring car.

Audi’s cabins always feature superior materials and impeccable build quality. The 2009 A6 is no exception. As part of its redesign, the interior has been brightened up with some aluminumcoloured (Audi calls them Flexmetallic) trim bits, a simpler MMI computer interface and a trendy engine start button (although one still gets a full key). Also new on the A6 is a Side Assist system that warns of the presence of other vehicles in blind spots.

As mid-cycle revisions go, the A6’s is fairly dramatic, with the new engine and revised quattro system to go along with the de rigueur interior and front fascia alterations. It doesn’t vault the A6 past all the other players in the segment, but at least it’s back in the fray.